HomeMy WebLinkAbout1987 03-26 PCP Planning Commission Information Sheet
Application No. 87006
Applicant: Continental Communications - Willard Blake
Location: 1800 Freeway Boulevard
Request: Special Use Permit
The applicant requests special use permit approval to operate a retail showroom,
displaying electronic equipment, in conjunction with his communication service
center at 1800 Freeway Boulevard. The building and parcel in question are zoned I-1
and are bounded on the north by the Northwestern Bell service building, by James
Avenue North on the east, by Freeway Boulevard on the south, and Shingle Creek
Parkway on the west. Continental Communications currently is housed at the
Northbrook Shopping Center and the applicant proposes to relocate this business to
the present proposed site. The use primarily involves servicing and repairing
communication equipment such as CB and marine radios and antennas. The applicant
has indicated a desire for a small showroom and customer service area and has
acknowledged that some retailing of this communication equipment would be done.
The applicant's use is the type use comprehended as a permitted use in the C2 zoning
district. Section 35-330, Subdivision 3f, would acknowledged this type of use in
the I-1 zoning district provided it meets the Standards for Special Use Permits
contained in 35-220, Subdivision 2 and also, the criteria outlined in Section 35-
330, Subdivision 3f (copies attached) .
The space the applicant desires to occupy in the westerly wing of this u-shaped
building is located at the very north end. The area proposed would be 1,330 sq. ft.
with a breakdown of approximately 500 sq. ft. for showroom and customer service
area; 150 sq. ft. for office area and 680 sq. ft. primarily for storage and equipment
repair area. They project a maximum of 8 employees to handle the operation.
Commercial developments such as this are acknowledged as special uses in the I-1
zoning district, as was mentioned above, under Section 35-330, Subdivision 3f of the
Zoning Ordinance, provided they meet the Standards for Special Use Permits and
further provided.that they are compatible and complimentary to other land uses in
the Industrial Park district and are of comparable intensity to permitted I-1
district uses. Furthermore, the traffic generated by the use must be within the
capacity of available public facilities and not have an adverse impact on the
Industrial Park or the community. Given these criteria and the applicant's
proposal, the staff is of the opinion that all of the standards for this type special
use permit can be met.
Perhaps the biggest concern, as with other commercial type uses in this industrial
building, has to do with available parking. The Commission will perhaps recall the
last special use permit application involving this same building, that being
Application No. 86032 submitted by Spiritual Life Ministries, Inc. That
application was approved by the City Council in September of 1986 and involved
religious and educational uses in the space formerly occupied by Viking Gym. A
large portion of
g p the parking available on the site was required for the Spiritual
Life Ministries' use due to the potential for large crowds attending various
educational and religious services. However, these times are considered to be off-
peak from that of the other uses housed in this building.
The parking requirement, based upon use of the 1,300 sq. ft. proposed by this
applicant, would be 13 parking stalls. Given the uses already in existence on the
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Application No. 87006 continued
site, the vast majority of the 282 parking spaces are already allocated. There is a
"proof-of-parking" lot for 71 parking stalls on the northwest portion of this site
and given the configuration of the building, there is certainly potential for
additional parking on the site in the northerly parking area.
Approval of this application should acknowledge that parking for the proposed use,
as well as other uses already in the building, will not be complicated because of the
off-peak nature of the Spiritual Life Ministries use and the fact that there is space
available on the site for additional parking. An acknowledgement, from the owner
of the building, to provide additional parking on the site should be a condition of
the approval of this application.
All in all, we feel that this application is in order and the Standards for Special
Use Permits can be met and recommend approval subject to the following conditions:
1. Tenant improvement plans are subject to review and approval by
the Building Official with respect to applicable codes prior to
the issuance of building permits.
2. The special use permit is subject to all applicable codes,
ordinances and regulations and any violations thereof shall be
grounds for revocation.
3. The special use permit is issued to the applicant as operator of a
communications service center involving a retail showroom for
displaying and selling electronic equipment as well as an office
in conjunction with this operation. No other commercial
activity is acknowledged by this special use permit approval.
4. The owner of the property shall acknowledge his responsibility
for guaranteeing the striping and delineating of additional
parking stalls at the northwest corner of the site upon a
determination by the City that parking demand on the site exceeds
the available number of parking spaces.
5. Special use permit approval is exclusive of all signery which is
subject to the provisions of Chapter 34 of the City Ordinances.
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